Thursday Next is a detective living in Swindon, but not a detective or a Swindon as we know it. The areas she detects are crimes in literature and the Swindon is based in a time where Wales is an independent republic, Neanderthals are valued as work colleagues and the mighty Goliath Organisation influences decisions at every political level.

Thursday is recovering from an assassination attempt and is only coping by the application of too many pain relieving patches, her son Friday Next is confused about his future now that his future as the head of the Chronoguard has been declared null and void due to the realisation that time travel will not be invented and therefore the Chronoguard will not be able to operate over different times policing the future and the past, her daughter, Tuesday, is having difficulty finding the solution to solve the problem of a smiting that is due to decimate Swindon's financial sector and finally there is Thursday's daughter Jenny who Thursday remembers with great love but who doesn't appear to exist.

Thursday's life is further complicated by the fact the Goliath Organisation appears to keep trying to replace her with clone Thursdays, Friday's ex-colleagues-to-be will all die in mysterious circumstances and, oh yes, a meteorite will now destroy the earth in a few short years because Friday is no longer in a position to change its course.

I love Jasper Fforde's novels but have to admit that reviewing them is hard work - how to explain his complicated alternative universe without revealing too much of the plot and at the same time encouraging readers to plunge in and just enjoy the ride?

All I can say is - I hope you enjoy this as much as I did and that it encourages you to read the others - you won't be disappointed.

Susan White, England
December 2012

Details of the author's other books with links to reviews can be found on the Books page.
More European crime fiction reviews can be found on the Reviews page.